Los Haitises National Park

Los Haitises National Park is located on Samaná Bay, in the northwest of the Dominican Republic. Visitors can take a boat trip through mangrove forests; swim in natural pools; join a guided bird-watching trip to spot brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds, and Stygian owls; or head to the park’s extensive cave network, where you can see petroglyphs thought to be at least 500 years old.

Remember to bring plenty of sunscreen as well as a hat and bottled water; there are few amenities in the park.

Some tours to the park have wheelchair-accessible options.

In January, the park is one of the best places on the island of Hispaniola to spot migrating humpback whales.

Los Haitises National Park is fairly remote. There are two main ways to access the park: From the town of Samaná, you can reach the park via a 9-mile (15-kilometer) boat ride. From the fishing village of Sabana de la Mar, you can drive 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) to the park entrance. Some tours include round-trip transportation from hotels in major resort centers like Punta Cana.

High season in the Dominican Republic is from November to March, and tours run more frequently during this season. The best month for whale watching is January. June to late November is hurricane season in the Caribbean, and high winds and rainstorms are likely.

For a completely different kind of tourist attraction, head to Altos de Chavón, a painstakingly recreated 16th-century Mediterranean village, complete with a 5,000-seat amphitheater (where Frank Sinatra once performed). In the village you’ll also find the Altos de Chavón Archaeological Museum which has a great collection of artifacts from the indigenous people who once lived on the island of Hispaniola.

Some of the main attractions in Los Haitises National Park include mangrove forests, natural pools, and a network of caves, some of which feature well-preserved petroglyphs made by the Indigenous Taíno people from the region. Many are believed to be over 500 years old.

Yes, guided tours are available for exploring the caves and mangrove forests of Los Haitises. Plenty of boat trips will take you into the mangroves, and some include canoes or kayaks that you can paddle yourself. There are also trekking tours through the rainforest, including visits to some of the park's caves.

The best time to visit Los Haitises National Park is during the Dominican Republic's high season, which runs from around November to March. This time of year also has more tours to the park, while operations often dwindle during the June–November hurricane season. Come in January if you want to go whale-watching.

Yes, tour operators generally provide transportation to Los Haitises National Park, and many will pick you up at your Punta Cana hotel. Tours from further away destinations, such as Las Terrenas and Samana, are also available. Be prepared to depart early in the morning and spend much time on the road.

While you should never expect to see any one species during a Los Haitises tour, plenty of species are frequently spotted in the park. These include Hispaniolan parrots, white-necked crows, stolid flycatchers, egrets, boobies, and pelicans. The park is also home to the critically endangered Ridgway’s hawk and ashy-faced owls.

Los Haitises tours vary from 2-hour kayaking adventures to full-day expeditions that visit multiple parts of the park. More extended tours typically include a mix of water and land activities, boat rides, canoeing, kayaking, and hikes through the jungle. Many also include lunch.